Fact or Fiction?

I knew before I started reading the book that it was a work of fiction. As I was reading the book, it felt real. It is not until page 179 that the reader is informed that none of it is real except that Tim O'Brien is a writer and he was a foot soldier. O'Brien makes it confusing for the reader by creating a character with his real name. He further confuses the reader by making the character O'Brien write the same books that the author wrote in real life. It made me think everything was true. "I want you to feel what I felt. I want you to know why story-truth is truer than happening-truth" (page 179). Those two lines tell why O'Brien made a character with his name. I had never read a story about the Vietnam War. I really enjoyed reading the book and it was easy to read. I would read page after page before realizing I forgot to underline and highlight key points. It helped me understand about the life in a war zone. The characters were so realistic and had such complex personalities. The characters in the story are unforgettable.